Srilanka, March 26 -- A spirited 200th-ranked Sri Lanka put up a fierce fight against 97th-ranked Thailand but ultimately fell to a narrow 0-1 defeat in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier Third Round match at the packed 40,000-seater Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand last night.

The decisive moment came in the 44th minute when Thailand's forward Patrick Gustavsson found the net, sending the home crowd into jubilation. The goal came after a well-placed cross from Suphanat Mueanta, which Gustavsson converted from close range.

Despite being one of the lowest-ranked teams in world football, Sri Lanka held their own against the regional powerhouse.

"All the boys worked really hard. I think we did something good here. We alw...